Just The Way You Are
by Cheeky-eyes
Summary: He knew Juudai well, even if he had only known him a few months. But he was glad that he did as even everyday stuff was interesting around him. A gift fic for Aquamarine Crystalline.


**Title:** Just The Way You Are  
**Author:** cheeky_eyes  
**Rating:** G  
**Pairings/Characters:** Juudai, Johan,  
**Warnings:** None  
**Word Count:** 1925  
Summery: **He knew Juudai well, even if he had only known him a few months. But he was glad that he did as even everyday stuff was interesting around him. **  
**Notes: **Gift fic for crysalice_bell. Yes I know you said Spiritshipping but, I tried my best. ^_^; The title probably suggests way more then there actually is but I hope you enjoy it anyway. (And I was thinking of including Johan's little ninja roll, but that turned out not to work as this went in a completely different direction then I had initially thought.)

**xxx**

He could read Juudai like a book. He didn't make it hard at times of course, but Johan could tell that he had pulled his disappearing act again as soon as he made it to the Osiris dorm, mostly because Shou and Kenzan were milling around the common area aimlessly.

Juudai chose the spots to brood in carefully depending on his mood. If he was wistful it was the rock near the ocean and if he didn't want to be found it was the tree where he'd duelled SAL. If he was happy, it was the roof or the tree near his dorm. That was where Johan found him now, under the tree near the Osiris dorm.

Juudai wasn't too shocked to hear footsteps approaching, nor was he surprised to see Hane Kuriboh appear and then disappear from his line of vision with a joyful squeak.

"Wow, it's hard to be subtle with those two around isn't it," Johan's cheerful voice penetrated the otherwise still atmosphere. It wasn't quiet here by any means, not with the crashing of the waves against the coastline, the rustle of the grass and the squawk of the birds going on around him anyway. Not to mention the joyful squeals of the Duel Spirits who were playing at his feet. But it was peaceful none the less.

There was a soft thud as Johan landed next to him. Juudai could still only see the blue of the sky above him, which disappointed him somewhat because he was fond of making pictures and patterns out of the clouds that weren't there at that moment.

"So what brings you out here?" Johan casually asked as he began to pick lazily at the grass around him. Juudai shrugged.

"Manjoume was raving about something so I decided to come out here and look at the clouds," he replied vaguely. Johan looked at him.

"I don't suppose the assignment Chronos gave us has anything to so with it then," Johan teased as he pulled some more grass out. Juudai sweatdropped beside him.

"Not at all," he replied knowing he would be lucky to get it done by class tomorrow, let alone having it completed tonight. He would manage though, he always did.

"What about yours then?" he asked with a smile as he glanced up at Johan, who grinned back.

"It's been done for a couple of days now. Jim and I did it when I couldn't come down to Osiris the other day," he replied still grinning. Juudai sweatdropped again.

"Ah," Juudai replied somewhat crestfallen.

"It's not hard you know; it's only about the cohesion of a proper deck. As long as you know how everything connects and works together for the one assigned to you it's relatively easy," he continued.

"How do you manage?" Juudai asked as he faced his friend again. "I have trouble in one language," he grumbled. Johan laughed.

"My sister went on exchange to Japan for year when I was eleven. When she came back she was fluent and taught me. And at North Academy there are at least five different languages per room being spoken at once so if you concentrate it isn't hard to pick up other languages at that place. Especially if you hear it constantly," he took a breath before continuing his explanation; still piling grass up beside him. "Japanese was also taught at North, so all in all it's been relatively easy for me to pick it up."

Juudai nodded. It hadn't made all that much sense to him but it sounded logical and plausible.

"Ah," Juudai replied and paused for a moment before he changed tracks. "Do you want to duel?" he asked eagerly as he sat up. Johan laughed again.

"Sure, but where's your Duel Disk?" he pointed out the only flaw in that plan. There was nothing beside him and Johan had only his on him as he bought his along in case someone challenged him to a dis-duel on the way down, which happened occasionally. Beside him Juudai jumped up quickly as he replied.

"Back in Osiris. Come on, I'll race you back," he took off without much warning. Johan protested slightly before he just followed anyway, giving it up as a lost cause. Juudai was naturally the winner but Johan was quick to point out he had cheated. That didn't deter Juudai long as he raced up to his room to grab his disk. It didn't take Juudai long to find it, for it had been left on his bed as he had been maintaining it the night before and had took off after breakfast without a second thought as Manjoume had been complaining about the assignment. He hadn't wanted to start it yet as for the first time that week it looked like it would be a good day and he didn't want to miss it for the assignment could wait in his opinion.

While Juudai raced up to grab his disk Johan remained outside. From the Dining Room Manjoume walked out, his Duel Spirits hanging around his shoulders. As shocked as he had been the first time he'd seen them, there was a part of him that was amused each time he saw the Ojama's. He didn't understand Manjoume's relationship with his Spirits, but it suited both the Spirits and Manjoume and in a very odd way it showed how much he cared about them, deep down. So Johan didn't say anything even though he didn't completely understand it. He knew not everyone saw their Spirits as family; he only wanted Humans and Duel Spirits to respect each other, but he recognised that that could come in many forms.

"Hey Manjoume," he greeted cheerily with a wave. Manjoume paused and reflexively muttered back "san-da," but it wasn't as venomous as it usually was. He reserved that for Juudai.

"Are you waiting for Juudai?" he asked without caring much as he walked past. Johan nodded and was prevented from saying anymore as Juudai burst out of his room at that moment and interrupted him.

"Alright, let's duel then!" he shouted down with a grin and raced down the stairs. At the bottom he noticed that Manjoume was standing there.

"Oh hey Manjoume," he greeted, also cheerily.

"It's Manjoume san-da!" came the reflexive response. Juudai ignored it and ran to the cleared space in front of his dorm.

"Alright, let's duel!" he joyfully shouted to Johan who had walked to the other side.

"Duel!"

**xxx**

It was an even match, but Juudai barely won again anyway.

"Good match Juudai. I thought you had me earlier but luckily I had _Last Resort_ on me," Johan said as he met Juudai in the middle of the field once the dust had cleared. Juudai nodded.

"I know. It was a good thing I drew Neos when I did too, or it defiantly would have ended much sooner," Juudai replied in a rush. On Johan's shoulder Ruby trilled, it was clear to her they were going to analyse the game again and in all honesty, she only wanted to play with Hane Kuriboh.

Said little Sprit soon appeared and it wasn't long before they were engaged in their usual pre fight ritual of bumping and playful taunting. Juudai only glanced at the pair before he continued talking about his Heroes while Johan was more amused as he spared them more then a glance.

"Ruby," he warned good-naturedly as they rolled past him, but after that he left them alone as he focused on the conversation. While the two Spirits fought they began to wonder up towards Juudai's room.

"So how did you find me anyway?"Juudai finally thought to ask as they started to walk back upstairs, diverting the topic away from duelling for a brief moment. Somehow Johan always seemed to know where he was and it was frankly uncanny at times. Johan laughed.

"I'll give you three guesses," he answered with a smile. Ruby jumped back onto his shoulder, bored of her fight, and he automatically reached up to pat her. Juudai thought about it for a moment.

"Ru-bi-bi," Ruby trilled from her perch. Johan shushed her playfully.

"Don't give him a hint Ruby," he said in a stage whisper to her. Juudai grinned at him as the answer clicked. It wasn't something he had thought to do himself but the answer was simple now that he thought about it.

"I'm fairly sure that's cheating," he said coyly. Johan shrugged.

"Hey, it works," he answered nonchalantly. "Besides, Ruby likes to play with Hane Kuriboh so unless you like to be randomly tackled by the pair I suppose I'd better follow to keep them in line."

"Because you do such a good job anyway," Juudai replied as he recalled the 'fight' they had just had not five minutes earlier.

"Eh. I never said I did a good job," Johan replied with a shrug. Juudai laughed at that.

"Hey what time is it?" Juudai asked suddenly, changing he topic yet again.

"No idea," was the reply he got. Juudai thought about it for a moment.

"Well I think it's lunchtime! I'm starving!" he stated with a hint of a whine in his voice.

"Yeah, so am I," Johan agreed. "Want to go down anyway?" Juudai nodded enthusiastically.

"Yeah! And if it isn't I'm sure there will be something to eat there anyway," he replied as they entered his dorm room. They both placed their Duel Disks on the table and excitedly Juudai ran out the door while Johan was quick to follow.

Johan was glad the Ruby was able to help him find his friend; it certainly made it a lot easier as Juudai did have an awful habit of disappearing every now and again. He didn't quite know why but he was very fond of his friend despite only knowing him for about a month. They were certainly similar, that was true, but there were enough differences between them to make the friendship interesting. The only downside he could see was that he was yet to beat Juudai in a duel, but all in all that was a minor concern really. He knew he would one day and that was a day he looked forward too. So did Ruby, apparently Hane Kuriboh found it extremely amusing that his Master was the current winner and she would dearly love to have some bragging rights. Johan was curious to see what would happen if they appeared on the field at the same time one day for he was sure it would be rather amusing. He made a note to tell Juudai that.

"Yes! Tonight is Fried Shrimp night! Awesome!" Juudai crowed beside him as he realised what day it was. Johan smiled. It was always funny to watch Juudai try and manipulate everyone around him not so subtly for their food, especially on fried shrimp night.

"Great, but what is there to eat now?" Johan asked as Juudai came back down to earth.

"Oh, right," he replied with a sheepish grin and walked towards the server.

Eve though he had Ruby to help him, most of the time Johan didn't need her. He knew Juudai's patterns well (it wasn't like he made it hard, nearly everyone who knew him could list his favourite spots in half a minute flat but that was beside the point) and he was glad to have him as a friend. If Juudai were a book, he was an enjoyable one and Johan was glad to be a part of it.


End file.
